Closure



Aug. 7, 1945. P. G. COLEMAN l 2,381,207

cLosURE Filed July 8, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 l 25 2o l INVENTOR.

PHILIP GORDON COLEMAN f Patented Aug. 7, 1.945

CLOSURE Pinup Gordon ctleman, cincinnati.' ohio, asslgnor of one-fourth to Robert Troxel, Cincinnan, ohio Application July 8, 1943, Serial No. 493,806

(Cl. 21S-98) l s claims. My invention relates to improvements in closures and has to do, more particularly, with a closure be placed in a predetermined relation. tov

each other before the closure can be applied to or removed from a container orthe like, by rotative force' applied to exposed portions of the closure.

A further object of my invention fis to provide a closure comprising a plurality o f'members rotatable about a common axis and connected by a driving element, which. is shiftable, when the members occupy a predetermined relation to each other, from a neutral position, in which the memvbers are independently rotatable about said axis,

toa driving position, in which rotative force applied to an exposed portion of one of said mem bers will be transmitted through saiddriving element to another of said members, formed for interlocking engagement with a portion 'of a container or the like.

One example of a use for a closure constructed in accordance with my invention is' for bottles of construction and economies of operation, will definitely appear from the detailed description to follow.l In one instance, I have accomplished the objects of my invention by the devices and means described in the following specication. My invention is clearly defined and pointed out inthe appended claims.

Closures constituting preferred embodiments of my invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specilication, in which Fig. l is a perspective view of a bottle having a closure constructed in accordance with my invention applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a' vertical, sectional View throughthe neck of the bottle and the closure, the parts being in the relation shown in Figs.- 1 and. 3.

Fig. y3 is a top plan View of the closure, taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, the driving pin being shown in the neutral position.

Fig. 4 is a view corresponding to Fig. 3, but showing the outer closure member adjusted on the inner member to the predetermined position and the pin shifted tovdriving position. Y

Y Fig. 5 is a vertical, sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. '6 is a perspective view of the outer'closure I member.

containing poison. It is desirable that such clo. sures should not be readily unscrewed or removed,

mistake, since the care required to remove the closure calls his attention to the nature of the bottle.-

Another use for my invention is as'a closure forY containers, such as outside fuel tanks, to

' the Aact of removing the closure, rendering it unlikely that he will take poison from the bottle by Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the inner closure member.

l Fig. 8 is a top plan view of a modifled form of my invention, suitable for use as a closure for the iiller pipe of an outside fuel tank, for in stance.

Fig. 9 is a vertical. sectional View, taken on the of the closure members to the others.

Fig. 11 is a vertical, sectional view,. taken on the line ll-Il of Fig. 10.

preventk unauthorized access to the contents thereof. It will be necessary to adjust the parts .particular relation, which permits removal of the closure, can be kept asa secret by those entitled to have access to the container.

Further objects, and objects relating to-details Fig. 12 is a to'p'plan view of one of the members of the closure.

' Fig. 13 is a top plan view of another member of thev closure, within which the member shown in Fig. 12 is nested, and

Fig. 14 is a top plan view of a third member of the closure, which is nested within the memberv 'shown in Fig. 13.

In the drawings, the same reference numerals refer to the same parts throughout the several views and the sectional views are taken looking ln the direction of the arrows at the ends of the section lines.

In general, my invention consists of a. closure which comprises a plurality of members rotata'ble about a common axis. One of .these members -is formed for interlocking engagement by rotative movement with a portion of a container or the like. Means are provided, operable only when these members occupy a predetermined relation ot each other, for transmitting rotative force to the member which is formed for interlocking engagement. One way of accomplishing this is to provide each of the members forming the closure with a slot, one end of which is .concentric with the axis about which the closure members are rotatable, and toprovide a driving pin which extends through these slots and is shiftable therein, when the closure members are adjusted so that the slots are in alignment. When this driving pin occupies the ends of the slots that are concentric with the axis of rotation, the closure members are independently rotatable about the pin, but, when it is shifted to the other ends of the slots, a rotative force applied toian exposed portion of one of these members will be transmitted by said pin to the other members, one of which may have an interlocking engage- I6 will-be. aligned and the pin 2li can be shifted.

tothe driving position.

ment with a portion of the container. Since the closure members have to be adjusted into predetermined relation with each other, before the driving element can be shifted effective position, it is desirable'to provide eans for indicating the relative positioning of said members. This may be done in various ways, such as, by providing a spot on one of the members-to be lined up with a hole in another, or by providing numbers or characters on the 'closure members which have to be lined up in a certain relation before the driving element can be shifted from neutral to eective position.

Referring to the numbered ofthe drawings, I have shown, in Fig. l, a bottlefIlI having. va. neck II, formed with external screw threads. I2. The vclosure comprises an. inner member I3,

having a iiange I4 depending from the top there'- of and provided with internal threads I5, for

screw lengagement with the neck of the bottle. A slot I6 is formed in the'top of the member I3 and so located that one end of the slot is concentric with the axis about which the member I3 rotates. The closure includes anouter member I1, having a ange I8 dependingfrom the.

top thereof, and the top of member I1 is also provided with a slot I8, one end of said slot being concentric with the axis about which member. I1 rotates and both members I3 and I1 being rotatable about a'common axis. A driving pin 20 extends through the slots I6 and I8, having a l head 2| on its lower end engagingv thefundersurface of member I3, and a head 22 o n its 'upper end engaging the upper surface of member I1.

If desired, the head 22 may be made large enough to form an operating handle or button and to cover the slot I8 completely. A sealing discv 23 'l is inserted within the closure member I3 and nts against the undersurface of the top thereof, coveringA the slot I6. g

It will be observed that the closure member I1 fits o ver the closure member I5 and'v embraces it, substantially concealing the latter, with the result that the user has to apply therotativeforce for screwing on or unscrewing the closure to the outer member I1. When the two 4niem- Ibers are inthe position shown in Figs. 2 and 3,

the outer member I1 is rotatable with/respect ized access to` said containers.

to member I3 and, consequently, a rotative force applied to member I1 will be ineffective to rotate member I3. However, if member I1 be rotated with respect to member I3 until the slots I8 and I6 are in alignment, the driving pin 20 may be shifted from the endsof these slots concentric with the axis of rotation to the opposite ends thereof. and, when the driving pin is thus posineutral or concentric position to the driving or eccentric position, and ,it is desirable to provide means `for indicating this relative positioning of .the closure members. To that end, I provide upon the upper surface of the closure member I3 a spot 24 of distinctive color and, in the top of the closure member I1, a hole 25 through which the f spot may -be exposed. When member I1 is adjusted with respect to member I3`until the spot 24 shows through the hole 25, the slots I8 and The embodiment of my invention just described constitutes a simple form of closure that cannot" be unscrewed from a bottle by a simple mechaniv cal act, but requires thought and attention in4 that the user must first ro'tate the outer member I1-until the spot 24 is visible through the opening 25 an-d, then, shift the pin 20 from the concentric -tothe eccentric position, after which the closure may be unscrewed by rotative force applied to the flange I8 of the member I1.` I believethat this form of my' invention will find utility as a closure for bottles containing poison, for instance, in that it would beimpossible for a user to remove the closure from theneck of the bottle and take thepoison 'by mistake. The very fact that it is necessary to adju'st the closure members to a predetermined position, and then shift the driving pin, before unscrewing the closure is an indication to the user that he is not opening an ordinary bottle, but ,one containing poison. It

may wellbe the case that the mental concentration, necessary toadjust the parts of this closure to the position in which it can be removed,'woi1d be suiiicient to divert the attention of one contemplating suicide from his troubles and thus prevent his taking the poison deliberately."

In Figs. 8 to 14inclusive, I have shown. an embodimentof my invention .particularly useful as aclosure for containers, such as outside fuel tanks, for the purpose ofpreventingunauthorthe nller pipe of such container is indicated at 28, being internally `threaded at 21.l A. disclike member 28 has an upstanding peripheral liiange 30, which is externally threaded at 29 for engagement with the threads 21 of the filler pipe.

'The disc-like member 28 has a slot 3l' therein,

one end of which is concentric-with the axis of 1 rotation of said member. Mounted above the member 28. and nested within the flange 30, is

a disc 32 having an upstanding peripheral flange 33 from. the upper end of which there extends laterally an'annular flange 34, of sufiicient width to extend over the flange 30.01. member 28, and

over the upper end of the nller pipe 28. Member 32, also, has a slot' 3,5 thereln,'one end of which is concentric withtheaxis about which the mem- In Figs'. 9I and 11, l

' bers.

ber:32 is rotatable.. .'Mounted above'the member 32 andnested withinzthe 'ange 33 is a disc 36,

having 'an upstanding peripheral flange 31. I The discY 36,"also, yhas a 'slot' 38 therein, one endr of whichris 'concentric with the axis about 'which the 'disc 35 "is rotatable. Mountedabove the disc' 36,V and nestedwithinthe .flange 31 thereof, isa member 39 provided with an upwardly extending boss`4l) that is square-in cross-section, so that a'Wr-e'nch may be applied 'thereto for rotating the'fmember 39. A slot 4| is'provided, which -extends through the member 39 and boss 40, and

onevr end of "said slot is concentric with thev axis about whichmember 39 is rotatable.

rAdriving. pin' 42 extends through the slots 3|,-

35,238 and4| 4and is provided vwith a head43,

, engaging `the lower surface of the member 28,

yItzwill be evident that this embodiment ofmy invention constitutes a relatively inexpensive and simple closure, suitable for use for containers such as outside fuel tanks and the like, and which will ...prevent access to such containers by' un authorized persons, but which cancquickly be set byanauthorized'person, who knows the combi; naticn,pto such position that-the closure'may be readily removed.

A sealing disc 45 may be applied to the lower sury face" of member 28 to vcover the head 43 ofthe driving pin and theslot 3|.` -When the pin 42 is located inthe ends of the slots`3l, 35, 38 and 4I that are concentric with the common axis about which-the members 28, 32, 36 and 39 are rotatable, said members vare independently -rotatable about said pin. However, if the members beadjusted yuntil all ofl the 'slots are in alignment, 'and the pin 42 be then shifted into the other end of said I`slots, that is, the ends opposite those that areconcentric with the common axis, the-application of rotative force yto member 39, as by' means y of-v a Vwrench Lapplied to the boss' 40,' will beftransmittedfby the pin 42 and the walls of thenslots. 4|, 38,v 35 and 3| to the member 28 to unscrew said member from the filler pipe 26, or to screw it into engagement therewith. Itwill be observed that this requires that four slots be brought into alignment with each other, before the pin 42 can be shifted to the eccentric or driving position.

Since it is necessary to adjust or position the members 28, 32, 36 and 39 relative to each other, to bring the slots into alignment,v it is desirable to provide means for indicating the relative positioning of` said members. To that end, I mark the numbers .1 to,8, inclusive, as at 41, upon the upper. surface of the flange 30 of the member 29.' I provide, vin the ange 34 of the member 32, an opening 48 so positioned that the numbers, indicated `at 41, may be visible through said opening. Upon the upper surface of the flange 31 of member 36, I have marked the numbers 1 to 8, inclusive, as at 49, and I have provided an upstanding lug 50 by means of which the member 36 may be rotatably adjusted. Upon Iam aware thatthe structures illustrated herein as embodiments of myinvention are'susceptible of considerable .variation withoutr departing from the spirit of my invention and,ttherefore, I claim 'my invention broadly as indicated in the appended claims. WhatIclaim'isz t x 1; A closure comprising the combination of a plurality of members rotatable about a common axis, and each having a radial slot therein one end of which is concentric with saidaxis; a driving velement extendingth'rough' saidfslots and sh'ifltable `therein when said slots are'aligned, onev of said members'being threaded for screw engage-` ment witha portion of a. container and rotatable by force applied to'another ofvsaid members, when said element ls shifted from the ends'of said slots that are concentric with the axis of vrotation and means for preventing access to' said first member.

2. A closure comprising' the combination ofe.

f rotatable inner member having a depending the disc-like portion of the member 39, I have ymarked the numbers 1 to 8, inclusive, as

indicated at 5|. The relative positioning of the closure members may be indicated by thesenum- Thus, as illustrated, when the number 2 on ilange 38 of member 28 is in line with the hole 48 in fiange 34 of member 32, the number 1 on flangeA 31 of member 36 in line radially with this hole, and the number 6 upon the upper surface of member 39 in line withthe number 1 and the hole 48, the members 28, 32, 36 and 39 are so positioned that the slots, 3|, 35, 38 and 4| are in alignment, so that the driving pin 42 can be shiftedfrom its concentric or neutral position to its eccentric or driving position. In `other words, the combination indicating the posiflange, internally threaded for screw engagement with a portion of a container, and a top h'aving a slot therein, oneend ofwhich is concentrlcwith the axis of rotation of said memberyan outer member rotatable about said inner member and embracing andy substantially r,concealing the same, said` outer 4I nemloerl'iaving a depending' ilange and a top with a slot therein, one end of rotatable inner member having a top and a ange, internallythreaded for screw engagement with a portion of a container, said top having a slot therein one'end of which is concentric with the axis of rotation of said member; an outer member rotatable about said inner member and embracing and substantially concealing th'e same, said outer member having a flange and a top with a slot therein, one end of said slot being concentric with the axis of rotation "of the outer member; a pin, headed on both l ends, extending through said slots; a sealing -disc tted within the inner member and covering the slot th'erein; and means for indicating the relative positioning of said members with said slots in alignment.

l 4. A closure comprising the combination of a rotatable. inner member having a top and a ilange, internally threaded for screw engagement with a portion of acontainer, said top having a slot therein, one end of which is concentric with the axis of rotation of said member; an outer member rotatable about said inner member and tinctve color and the top of said outer member having a hole therein, so located that said spot is disclosed therethrough when the members are so positioned relative to each other that theslots are aligned.

-5. A closure comprising the combination ofa plurality of members rotatable about a common axis, one of said members being formed'for inter locking engagement with a portion of a container, another of said members being formed for application of rotative force thereto, eachof said members having a radial slot therein one end of which is concentric with said axis; a driving element extending through said slots and shifltable, when said slots` are aligned, from a position in the ends thereof concentric with said axis, in' which said members are independently rotatable about; said element, to a position in the other ends of said slots, in which rotative force applied 'to one of said members will be'transmitted to the others through said element; and means for preventing access to said first member'.v

6. A closure comprising thecombinationoi a first member threaded fory screw engagement with a. portion of a container; a'second member nesting within the said first member; a third member nesting within said second member; a fourth member nesting within said third member and having a non-circular portion through' which rotative force may be applied thereto, al1 of said members being rotatable about a common axis, each of said members having a slot therein, one end of which is concentric with said axis; a driving pin extending through said slots and shiftable,

when said slots are aligned, from a position in the f ends thereof concentric with said axis, in which said members are independently rotatable about the pin, to a position at the opposite ends of said slots, in which ithe pin transmits rotative force assi-,nov

from the fourth member to the first member; and means for indicating the relative positioning of said members in which all said 4slots are aligned.

'7. A closure comprising the combination of a rst member threaded for screw engagement with a portion of a container, and having indicia on an upper'surface thereof; a second member nested within said first member, and having a flange projecting over said surface and provided with an opening through which said indicia may be exposed; a-third member nested within said second member, and having indicia on an upper surface thereof; a fourth member nested within said third memben'h'aving indicia on an upper surface thereof and a non-circular portion through which rotative force may be applied thereto, all of said members being rotatable about a common axis,

and each having a slot therein one end of which is concentric with said axis; and a pin, headed on both ends, extending th'rough said slots and shiftable, when said members are in predetermined relation to each other, from the ends of said slots concentric with said axis to tthe opposite ends thereof, whereby rotative force applied to said fourth member will be transmitted through said pin to said iirst member.

8. A closure comprising the combination of a plurality of members rotatable about. a, common axis, one of said members being formed for interlocking engagement by rotative movement with la portion of a container; and means accessible from the exterior of th'e closure and shiftable, when said members are in predetermined relation to each other, from a position coaxial with said members to an eccentric position in which it transmits rotative force to said inst-mentioned member vfrom, another of said members.

PHILIP GORDON COLEMAN. 

